Former Arsenal defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos has slammed manager Mikel Arteta over his decision to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona.
Aubameyang had a torrid time at Arsenal in his last days at the club but has since found a new lease of life at Barcelona where he has been their main striker.
Auba was stripped of the captaincy in December after his ‘latest disciplinary breach’ and would not feature for the Gunners again and in January Arteta sanctioned his move to Barcelona, where he has scored 10 goals in 14 appearances and Sokratis expects him to thrive.
“Aubameyang is not the only one who left this way from Arsenal, other players also left like that; including myself. That was the team’s choice, each footballer works for the team and has to respect that choice.
“I don’t know and personally I don’t think it was the correct choice, the matter could have been resolved differently. I’ve known Aubameyang for many years, I know what he can do as a footballer. I am certain of what he will do at Barcelona.
“I wish him good luck and all the best. The same goes for Arsenal despite the way I also left. I wish them well,” Sokratis told the Sunsport.
Sokratis knows only too well how it feels to be frozen out by Arteta, having been excluded from Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League squads for the 2020-21 season before joining Olympiacos in January 2021.
